(You Are) My Own Sinking Ship
by Wolf Brigade
Summary: Years ago two little girls met on a beach, dreams of adventure racing through their heads. Now, one is thought to be dead at the hands of the First Navy and the other has gone missing after the destruction of her town. Turns out, the life of a pirate is not all fun and games.
1. Part I: Pretty Filth

**A/N: **So...this is pretty different from my other stuff and not a typical pirate story in general. This is rated 'M' for the usual reasons (sex, violence, the occasional curse word). This is also an experiment in a change of style for me, so any feedback is greatly appreciated. This story was inspired by the great 'bent crooked in the light around you' Pitch Perfect story on AO3 as well as a fantastic playlist accompanying it. Links for both are at the bottom of my profile.

Also, it has some Pirates of the Caribbean influences in terms of locations (Windbloom = Port Royal, Garderobe = Tortuga, etc) and a few other details.

* * *

**Part I: Pretty Filth**

* * *

_Cold nights  
Strange dreams  
Memories stuck like glue_

_Her face_  
_Her voice_  
_Sail 'cross the seas with you_

_When you feel like you're out there on your own_  
_Know there is someone watching over you_  
_When out at sea feels nothing like a home_  
_Oh sailor we will blow the wind like_

- Oh Sailor, Mr. Little Jeans

* * *

The chains were starting to chafe against her wrists. Night was falling and Natsuki was in a cell, leaning against the stone wall directly across from the entrance. She was waiting. Had been waiting for the last few hours.

The bastards had sunk her ship. Her crew…she didn't know where they were. The skirmish had taken place not far from Fuuka; it was entirely possible most had made it to shore.

Being the captain meant making sacrifices. She had lingered until everyone else abandoned ship before she herself jumped into the water. By then, the First Navy was on her like a pack of rabid dogs. They threw her in the brig, smug grins adorning their stinking faces. Their ship had docked early this morning and they hauled her off to the hooting and clapping of the new blood on board.

And now she was waiting for whoever was in charge to interrogate her. She lifted her manacled hands before dropping them heavily back into her lap. Her wrists were _really_ starting to chafe.

* * *

Natsuki jerked awake to the sound of her cell door swinging open. A man with neatly groomed black hair stepped inside and took in the surroundings with disinterest. Natsuki hauled herself up and looked as menacing as she could. Her clothes had algae growing on them and unseemly tears in some places but at least her eyes could still look dangerous.

"I'm Commodore Kanzaki, the man who sunk your ship," he stated without any trace of arrogance. He slowly made his way to her, a calm expression on his face. "And I have some questions for you."

A bark of laughter. "Sure you do. Can't say I'll have answers." Her voice sounded raspy in her own ears.

He crouched down until he was at eye level with her. "We have ways of making you talk," he said in a low voice.

She met his stare evenly. "Do your worst," she said back before spitting in his face, the spray landing on his cheek.

Kanzaki flinched but his expression never changed. It didn't change when he gently unlocked the manacle around her hand. Nor when his fingers softly traced the newly exposed skin.

But a smile appeared when he snapped one of her fingers, and then a second. By the time he moved onto her wrist, a full-fledged, sparkling grin had emerged. He twisted until bones were grinding together, until something had to give (and did).

Natsuki was crying, and tears and snot dripped down onto the ground. When Kanzaki took hold of her wrist and _slammed_ it against the wall, the world turned black.

* * *

The bastard had broken her hand. Her _non-sword_ hand. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all. Or maybe spreading rumors of her being right-handed had paid off.

It was probably the latter.

* * *

Memories washed over her like waves. Gently at first, then more insistently. They were always good memories and Natsuki was in danger of getting lost in them. She had seen the people who had—their eyes were unfocused and they never spoke, trapped as they were in the past. Sometimes she wondered if that would be such a bad thing.

When they brought her to the whipping post, she wondered very hard.

* * *

She was nine when she first met Shizuru. The sand between her toes was still warm from the sun and she was more than content—earlier Sakomizu had told her that she could accompany him to Garderobe at the end of the month. His ship wasn't the most impressive in the harbor but he always gave her more free reign with the sails than the other sailors. And he never hit her when she made a mistake.

She looked up at the cloudless sky, her mouth gaping open in wonder. The world was so big and she was so small. Many girls her age would be discomfited by the thought, but it thrilled Natsuki. With the stars as her guide, she was going to explore every inch of this earth and all of its wonders.

"What are you doing out here?" Natsuki turned towards the voice and saw a girl. She looked to be wearing a nightgown and was carrying a lantern. The glow of it caught her red-brown eyes.

"I'm just looking," Natsuki answered. She sat down facing the surf and the girl soon came over as well, placing the lantern between them.

Up close, the girl seemed to be a few years older. She cocked her head slightly. "Looking at what?"

Natsuki shrugged. "The stars. The sea," There was a pause. "you, I suppose." She tilted her head back up.

The other girl followed suit, a few strands of light brown hair tumbling away from her face. "You're a very odd girl," she declared after a moment. The words weren't said antagonistically, but with a hint of curiosity and interest.

"I suppose so." Natsuki agreed easily. She was one of the only girls in Windbloom who was a wharf rat (the other being a redhead who could scurry up the highest mast in the blink of an eye). She had been called worse and tonight was too perfect to start a fight. She cast a sideways glance at the girl. For some reason, she felt safe with her—the girl seemed just as at home on the beach as she was. "Can I tell you a secret?" She asked and the girl looked fully at her.

"I'd like that," she answered with a small smile.

Natsuki gave her a conspiratorial grin and leaned close to her. "I want to be a pirate," she whispered.

The girl's eyes widened. "A pirate? My father says pirates are the scum of the earth," she said matter-of-factly, though the smile never left her lips.

"Oh yeah? Who's your father?" Natsuki shot back. This is why she never told anyone, not even Sakomizu. They just didn't understand.

"The governor," she replied primly. She giggled at the expression on Natsuki's face.

"You're…" Natsuki choked out, "you're the governor's _daughter_?" The men on the docks had plenty to say about Governor Viola. Most of it was good, however he was so strictly anti-pirate that some of his laws interfered with the lives of normal sailors and traders. She had also heard stories about his daughter—how she sneaked onto ships and took midnight walks. 'Shizuru' was her name.

Shizuru suddenly stood up and pulled Natsuki with her. Her hands were warm where they grasped her arms. "I want to be a pirate too," she said excitedly. "Imagine all the freedom!"

Natsuki cheeks turned red at the closeness but Shizuru's excitement was contagious. She finally found someone else who wanted the same thing she did. Natsuki glanced down to Shizuru's nightgown. "You wouldn't have to wear any dresses!" She laughed.

"I could see mermaids!"

"Think of all the treasure!"

"No arranged marriages!"

"Swordfights!"

They spun each other around until sky and sea blurred into one—

* * *

The memory came to an abrupt end when Natsuki started to smell her own flesh burn.

She screamed even after the brand was taken off her unbroken forearm. She looked down and saw a 'P' seeping blood down to her fingers. "Congratulations, _Ice Queen_," the man with the iron said. "You're officially a pirate."

Natsuki gave a weak chuckle. "About time."

* * *

They got tired of her after a while. Natsuki never talked (not the talk they wanted, at least) and soon she became intimately familiar with her cell. The amount of bricks making up the walls, the dirt and dust and blood on the floor. She shredded her mattress once just to see how much straw was inside.

Boredom was about as bad as the beatings and the whippings. At least _those_ broke up her day, gave her something to look forward to (something to dread).

She started hearing Shizuru's voice. It was a nice voice, to be sure. Playful, lilting, _wanting_. When Natsuki closed her eyes, it felt like Shizuru was with her. But that would jar her conscious again—she never wanted Shizuru to be here, in this rotten cell.

Other times, she had swordfights in her head. Her body was too weak to go through the motions but her mind was still sharp (but maybe a little softer around the edges than it had been). She fought against friends and foes countless times. When the bones in her bad hand twinged, she made sure Kanzaki was gurgling on his own blood, her sword plunged deep into his chest.

* * *

Shizuru's room was large and airy. The white curtains of her balcony fluttered with each gentle breeze. Two teenagers giggled when the light haired one dropped her rapier. "Quiet!" Natsuki hissed, trying to control her own mirth. "Your father—"

"My father sleeps like the dead." Shizuru answered breathlessly, "And the servants know better than to come in here."

Natsuki rolled her eyes and shifted her hold on her own rapier. "Fine, fine. Now, if I come at you like this," With her left foot forward, she lunged towards Shizuru straight on.

Shizuru sidestepped and twisted her sword around Natsuki's. This time, it was Natsuki's sword that clattered to the floor. "Very good!" She said enthusiastically. "You're a quick learner."

The back and forth continued until the sun began to edge past the horizon. The smile that had been on Shizuru's face for most of the night started to fade. "When will you be leaving?"

Natsuki wiped sweat from her brow. "In a few hours." Nao was probably already packing the supplies. They were going to the seedier parts of Garderobe in search of a crew to join so they could begin their lives as pirates, scoundrels, and the bane of the First Navy's existence.

"I wish I could come," Shizuru said quietly. Her grip tightened on the sword until her knuckles went white. "I wish I wasn't trapped here."

"Hey," Natsuki strode over to her. "I'll visit as often as I can." She tried to catch Shizuru's eyes but she wouldn't look up.

There was a knock on the door. "Miss Viola? The governor would like you to join him for breakfast."

"Coming," she called back. Still not looking at Natsuki, she placed her sword under the false floorboard and closed it up. Natsuki put hers through her belt.

"So this is goodbye." Natsuki said. She reached under her shirt and pulled out a necklace. It was a foreign coin with a square hole punched into the middle of it. She had found it on the beach when she was younger and had tied it to the end of a leather cord; it was one of her only possessions that meant anything to her. "You should have this."

Shizuru took the necklace solemnly and put it around her neck. She stayed silent until Natsuki was about to swing a leg over the balcony railing. "Wait!" And then Shizuru's lips were against hers, pressing softly. She pulled away after a few moments. "Remember this, Natsuki."

Natsuki nodded dumbly, unable to say anything. There was another knock on the door and Shizuru ushered her over the railing and down into the garden. Natsuki looked back once to see Shizuru wiping at her cheek.

"What are you so happy about?" Nao asked when Natsuki skidded to a stop in front of their boat.

"Just excited about the trip," Natsuki replied, cheeks flushed and lips still tingling. "This is the beginning of a lifetime of adventure, after all."

Nao grunted. "Sure." She sagged against a crate of salted meat, giving a passing man a glare when he whistled at her. "You gonna miss this place?"

"Yeah, actually. It has its charms." In particular, one red eyed girl. An ache in her chest flared for a moment. Rubbing at it, Natsuki glanced at her friend. "How about you check the knots one last time? I'll take care of the rest."

"Aye aye, Captain."

After all the supplies were on board and knots were checked, they were cruising out of the harbor and into an uncertain future.

* * *

"—The sea be ours, and by the powers," she used to be able to carry a tune but now her voice was hoarse and weak. Still got the job done. The job being to piss off the jailors and raise the morale of the other prisoners. "Where we will, we'll roam."

Another, deeper voice joined hers. "Yo, ho. Haul together, hoist the colors high."

People started banging their cups. "Heave ho. Thieves and beggars—"

More joined, spitting out the line with all the contempt they could muster. "_Never shall we die!_"

The singing continued even after the guards yelled at everyone to shut up. The only man the prisoners listened to was Kanzaki and he was away.

Natsuki's thumb traced the now-scarred letter on her forearm.

The fantasies of her killing him had been becoming more vivid. She could feel her palm against him as his breathing started to fade. His blood covered her hand when she reached into his chest to pull out his beating heart and _squeeze_—

She would be the one to kill him, she just knew it.

* * *

Shizuru splayed her hand across Natsuki's chest, idly tracing patterns on the smooth skin. "Three visits in as many months from Dread Pirate Kruger. Who am I to consider myself so lucky?"

Natsuki snorted. One hand went up hook loose strands of dark golden hair behind an ear before cradling Shizuru's cheek . "No one calls me that. And you are…" Natsuki raised her head up to whisper close to Shizuru's lips, "you."

Shizuru inhaled sharply and closed the small gap between them. She shifted slightly so one of her knees pressed between Natsuki's legs. Natsuki groaned and Shizuru deepened the kiss, taking Natsuki's bottom lip between her own and sucking gently.

They broke for air and Shizuru looked down with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "I was mistaken. What is it they call you?"

"Don't make me say it," Natsuki protested. "It's embarrassing." She shivered when Shizuru ran a hand down her side.

Shizuru's hand continued to trail downwards until it reached Natsuki's center. "Then allow me," she said softly as her fingers rubbed at the younger woman's clit. "The Ice Queen…as cold in temperament as she is in temperature," Natsuki flushed, her breathing already heavy. Shizuru continued in a voice of soft silk, her lips pressing against Natsuki's ear, "Behind her ship, the water lies frozen in her wake. Her sails are buffeted by the icy northern winds…"

"_Fuck_," Natsuki hissed. Her hips bucked, urging Shizuru's tortuously slow pace to quicken. "Shizu—"

Her fingers circled Natsuki's slick entrance. With a tinge of possessiveness, she murmured, "But I'm the only one who can see her melt." Finally, her fingers curled up and in. Natsuki's back arched and her nails left marks on Shizuru's flawless back.

Natsuki's moan was muffled by a bruising kiss before Shizuru lowered her head. Never stopping her ministrations, she angled herself to plant kisses around one of Natsuki's breasts. Soon, she took the quickly-hardening bud into her mouth, flicking it with her tongue.

The whole of Natsuki's body shook with tension. When Shizuru's fingers hit just the right spot, Natsuki's hands clenched the sheets and she gasped. For a moment, her world went a blinding white as waves of ecstasy rolled over her.

She sagged back into the mattress, pulling Shizuru up to plant lazy kisses along her jawbone. Shizuru slowly took her fingers out of Natsuki, eliciting a shudder from the other woman. Not breaking eye contact, Shizuru put the fingers in her mouth and sucked.

Natsuki felt her eyes go wide at the sight and, with a move she learned in a fight with a Zipang merchant ship, she hooked a leg around one of Shizuru's knees and twisted her hips. The result was a victorious Natsuki perched atop Shizuru, who looked up at her in genuine surprise.

Natsuki leaned down to give her a thorough kiss, tasting herself on Shizuru's tongue. "It's my belief that the governor's daughter should want for nothing," Kisses were placed along Shizuru's neck, her collarbone, between her breasts. She paused to lock eyes with the older woman. "And so I intend to give everything I have to you, Shizuru."

Shizuru's gaze softened and pink came across her cheekbones. "Natsuki…" But her lover's head was already between her legs, tongue and fingers stroking.

* * *

"You're from Windbloom, are you not?" Kanzaki asked her on the day of his return. She didn't reply but his tone conveyed enough confidence that she knew her acknowledgement was unnecessary. "Terrible news, what happened there. I saw it firsthand."

Natsuki tensed but refused to give him the satisfaction of knowing she was curious. He continued on, "A few of our ships were attacked in the harbor. The fighting spread onto the shores and into the town. I'm afraid many civilians were killed in the crossfire."

What was he getting at? Last Natsuki had checked, Sakomizu was long retired, having made the voyage back to Cardair years ago. Nao was with her when her ship sunk but Calypso knew where she was currently. That just left—

_No._

"The governor was murdered, his throat slit. It left quite the stain on his nice wood floor, or so I'm told," Kanzaki said dispassionately, "His daughter, on the other hand, just disappeared. Did you know her?"

Natsuki stayed still, eyes focusing on his boots. They were good boots. Thick leather, strong buckles, a solid heel…

Kanzaki sank to one knee and jerked her chin up to meet her eyes. "I found a trinket on the floor of her room," Kanzaki reached into a pocket and pulled out a coin on the end of a cord. "Hardly fitting for the governor's daughter; I'm sure it must belong to one of the servants." He swung it back and forth in front of Natsuki before abruptly putting it away. An ugly smile cut across his face. "No matter. She's probably dead anyhow. My men combed the island and found neither head nor hair of her. Perhaps one of the pirate ships picked her up. I heard you people like to have at least one wench on board for an easy fuck—"

It was rare for Natsuki to be right in front of a man yet unable to kill him.

She jerked against the chains and did the only thing she could—her head slammed into his face and she felt a satisfying crunch.

Kanzaki was thrown off balance and fell over, clutching at his nose. Blood streamed from between his fingers. Natsuki's lips curled upwards for the first time in what seemed like forever.

She laughed long and loud, the sound reaching the other prisoners. They echoed her and when Kanzaki stood up, his mask of serenity was ripped off. He looked like some kind of beast—the entirety of his lower face and part of his neck were wet with blood. The sight made Natsuki laugh even harder.

"You will pay for this," he snarled. "You were to be sent to Cardair for execution in one week's time but now I think I'll keep you here."

With his hands shaking in anger, he clumsily unlocked the manacle around her bad hand and stood up. The heel of his boot pressed against her palm.

Natsuki's laughter continued though it was now tinged with hopelessness. "Go ahead!" She yelled shrilly. "I don't care anymore!"

Kanzaki lifted his foot and slammed it down, once, twice, three times…

Even as hot tears ran down her cheeks, Natsuki continued to laugh. Kanzaki eventually stopped, chest rising rapidly. He smoothed his hair back and hissed, "You will _rot_ in this cell," before spinning and slamming the door behind him.

Natsuki went silent for a moment before a scream erupted from her chest. The sound was full of fury and desperation. She only stopped when her voice died out and she could taste blood in her throat. She cradled her ruined hand in her lap and rocked frantically back and forth, eyes wide but unseeing.

_Shizuru…_

* * *

Natsuki sat cross-legged in the area where Shizuru's bedroom met the balcony, head tilted towards the heavens. She tended to get lost in thought when she gazed at the stars, so much so that a pointed throat-clearing noise had to be made in order for Natsuki to turn around.

Shizuru was sprawled naked across the bed, giving Natsuki the best 'come hither' look she could muster. It was…quite effective. Still, Natsuki stood and stretched her arms above her head slowly and deliberately. She saw Shizuru drink in the sight of her shirtless body coupled with her (_their_) favorite pair of dark, snug trousers.

Natsuki padded over to the bed and saw Shizuru's smile flicker for a moment. "What's wrong?" She asked as she stretched out beside the older woman.

"I just noticed a scar," Shizuru's finger traced a thin silver line extending along the left side of Natsuki's hip. "This is new, isn't it?" She made an angry little sound, as if offended Natsuki would allow her herself to be wounded.

"Only cowards are without scars." Natsuki answered mildly. While she considered herself an excellent fighter, she was still sometimes at a disadvantage when her opponent was bigger and stronger than herself. She had many close call Shizuru would never hear of—her thoughts went to the scar under her right armpit, the one that had been dangerously close to piercing her lung. No, she would not tell Shizuru about that.

"Are you calling me a coward?" Shizuru asked playfully. Finished with running her hand along Natsuki's side, she pulled her closer and rested her head against Natsuki's shoulder.

Natsuki leaned over to give her a quick kiss on the nose. "You are anything but." An amused expression came across her face. "Your betrothed, however…I once distinctly remember him squealing like a scared child when we raised our flag upon leaving the harbor."

"Yes, Nagi is…_delicate_…about violent matters." Though her voice still sounded carefree, the smile on her face hardened. "How my father managed to agree to this sham of a marriage is beyond my comprehension."

Her lover was silent. Truthfully, Natsuki had thought long and hard about what the engagement of Shizuru with Nagi Homura meant. She had fantasized about stealing Shizuru away with her but dashed the thoughts instantly—Shizuru's father would send the entire navy after them.

Instead an uglier, more troubling alternative started to take shape in her head. It had been festering there for months now and Natsuki knew voicing it aloud would change everything.

She cleared her throat. "When is the marriage to take place?" She ran her hand absentmindedly through Shizuru's silky hair.

"Sometime this spring. The Homura's wanted to have the ceremony in Zipang but I insisted it be held here," she peeked up at Natsuki through long lashes. "Why, would you like an invitation?"

"Actually…" Natsuki took a deep breath, sure Shizuru could feel her heart hammering. "I think this marriage is a good thing. This way you can have a husband, children. You can forget about me." It pained her more to say the words than any injury she had ever taken, and she was surprised her voice still sounded steady.

The result was instantaneous—Shizuru withdrew from her side and moved to the opposite corner of the bed. "You must be joking." She said flatly. Her eyes flashed dangerously in the moonlight. "Tell me you're joking."

Natsuki leaned up as well. "I'm not. I'm a _pirate_, Shizuru." She didn't want to do this, didn't want to push her away or hurt her. But there were no other options.

"I know that. I've always known that," she gave a harsh chuckle. "You've been a pirate since you were nine years old."

"No, I—" Natsuki stopped herself, unsure of how to voice her thoughts. "We live two very different, very separate lives. They overlap at times but that's all they do. I'm a pirate and you're the governor's daughter—"

"There's more to it than that, isn't there?" Shizuru cut her off, tone not conveying any anger. But it didn't need too; Natsuki could see it in the tension of her body. "If that's all the argument you have, then you have _nothing_."

Natsuki flinched and a stab of anger went through her. "I'm trying to do right by you—"

"And I wish you wouldn't!" The uncharacteristic outburst left Shizuru looking just as surprised as Natsuki. Shizuru recovered first and continued on in a lower voice. "I am so _tired_ of people deciding what is good and bad for me. Don't I get a say?"

"Then what is it you want, Shizuru? I can't stop being a pirate any more than you can stop this marriage to Homura. And even if you could…we'd be treading the same water again when your next suitor shows up."

"Take me with you then," Shizuru said, changing her tactic immediately, "I'm almost as good with a sword as you are, I could be an asset to you and your crew."

Natsuki sighed. "I don't want you to be an _asset_. I want to know that you're safe, that you're living comfortably. Can't that be enough?" She looked imploringly at the other woman. "Take this, Shizuru. Take this chance at a good life and be done with me."

"Is that really what you want?" She asked quietly, hardly looking at Natsuki.

_No._ "Yes." The answer severed whatever control Shizuru was clinging to and Natsuki found herself being pushed out of the bed, her clothing being tossed at her.

"Come back when you can be reasoned with," Shizuru said decisively, "and not a moment before." She stood as well and waited for Natsuki to get dressed.

When the younger woman had finished putting her jacket into place, she glanced at Shizuru. She desperately wanted to embrace her but thought Shizuru wouldn't respond well. Instead, she gave her a small nod. "Goodbye." It was so _weak_ of her to leave without saying anything else.

Natsuki was almost to the balcony's railing when she felt arms wrap around her waist from behind. Shizuru turned her around and her lips found Natsuki's. The kiss started gently but then one of Shizuru's hands sought out the back of Natsuki's neck and pressed. It felt like Shizuru had put every ounce of passion, every moment of happiness, every good memory she possessed into that kiss. Shizuru broke the kiss first and pulled Natsuki into an embrace.

Against her jacket she whispered, "I love you, Natsuki. Remember that."

* * *

**A/N:** That's the end of part one (of three). I am open to any questions/suggestions/critiques if you have them. As I said above, this is a new style I'm experimenting with (disjointed prose, a narrative that has gaps, abrupt flashbacks that (hopefully) melt back into the main story, etc). Thank you and remember to check out the playlist I linked in my profile, it really goes well with the story.


	2. Part II: Heart in Hand

**A/N: **So...remember how I said this would be two parts? Yeah, that didn't work out. I wanted the chapters be about the same length and it was starting to get lopsided. I also didn't want to rush the ending since it really deserves to have its own section. There is a change in style here, which is why I cut it up to begin with (no more flashbacks). Please enjoy!

* * *

**Part II: Heart in Hand**

* * *

_And I am alone, so don't speak  
I find war, and I find peace  
I find no heat, no love in me_

_And I am more than these bones_  
_I feel love, I feel alone_  
_I just wish you would come home_

_My body's weak_  
_I feel my heart giving up on me_  
_I'm worried it might just be_  
_Something my soul needs_

_Is you, lying next to me_  
_And it's you, lying next to me_

- Flesh and Bone, Keaton Henson

* * *

"_I love you, Natsuki. Remember that._"

The last words Shizuru had ever spoken to her.

The words Natsuki never responded to.

And now the words that would hang over her, black and terrible.

* * *

Natsuki had never been very good at introspection.

She tended to abandon feelings in general—there was a reason people had seen fit to call her Ice Queen.

In the wake of Kanzaki's last visit, her insides felt like they had been hollowed out.

There was nothing left but a heart that didn't want to beat anymore, a useless organ that couldn't say those three words when they mattered most.

* * *

Kanzaki must have ordered her jailors to continue the beatings. They did so almost reluctantly; in the time she had been here, she had managed to make small talk with several of them.

Sure, she didn't have Shizuru's skill with people but then again—

Natsuki shifted gingerly on her cot so she wouldn't disturb a broken rib.

—she didn't have Shizuru, period.

* * *

Time crawled on.

Her days were only separated by the small pockets of time in which she managed to sleep. She had never tried to keep track of how long she had been there, fearing it would drive her mad.

But for all she knew, maybe she had already gone mad. Could one see their own madness or would she one day find herself trying to eat her shirt like nothing was wrong?

The thought made her chuckle more than it should have.

* * *

The jailors were in a good mood that day. The navy had just hauled in at least five members of some pirate ship and they entered, snarling and resisting every step of the way. Threats were made, violent promises verbalized in thick detail.

Natsuki managed a pained smile. These new guys were going to be hard to break.

* * *

Natsuki started to sing again when her throat finally healed. She was surprised to find that one of the new prisoners had a remarkably strong voice—in another life he could have been a famous singer.

Today's number was a personal favorite. "…And those buccaneers drowned their sins in rum!"

The man with the nice voice added, "The devil himself would have to call 'em scum!"

People came in at different times, their voices mixing together harmoniously. The song didn't even seem to bother the guards for once—Natsuki could have sworn she saw one tapping his foot in time to the music.

It was…almost a happy moment. Natsuki stopped singing abruptly and soon the others fell silent, perplexed as to why she had stopped.

Was it so wrong for her to have a moment of happiness? If not, why the hell did she feel like she was going to be sick?

Natsuki swallowed the nausea best she could. "One more time now!" She shouted, clanging her plate against the floor.

Her fellow prisoners hooted in response and the singing recommenced. "Shiver my timbers, shiver my bones…"

Being a captain meant making sacrifices. Even if she had no ship, no crew, she was still a captain. She didn't want to sing anymore—it was making her feel clammy and weak. But if songs made the others feel stronger, more united, it was her duty to continue on for their sake.

Even if the only thing she could hear was Shizuru's sweet voice in her ear.

* * *

There was a storm raging outside. Every time a bolt of lightning flashed, a wave of thunder shook Natsuki to the bones. She was lying on her stomach, slowly flexing her weak hand in front of her.

Heavy rain used to be one of Natsuki's favorite things. Of course sailing in it was no easy task, but it was when she felt closest to the heavens.

After a particularly bright bolt of lightning, the prison itself seemed to quake. The other prisoners muttered to themselves, starting to become agitated. A guard yelled something and the building shook again.

Natsuki bolted up as fast as her injuries would allow. This wasn't just a storm—it was an attack.

She caught herself against the cell's bars and peered out. Guards were running by with swords drawn and above her she could hear cannons being rolled into place. The swords told Natsuki that whoever was attacking was already on shore.

A gun went off near the prison's entrance and the sound nearly deafened her. Several more shots followed and soon people who were definitely not guards rushed by her, the sound of keys jangling in their hands.

Natsuki's hand jerked out and grabbed one by the shirt, slamming her against the bars. "Get me out of here," she hissed. "I can help."

The woman looked into her eyes and hesitated. Natsuki's grip moved to the back of the woman's head, pressing her even tighter into the bars.

The woman quickly fitted keys into the lock until the correct one was found. The door opened—the sound of which Natsuki had previously associated only with beatings and whippings—and she stepped out of the cell with a shaky breath.

After letting go of the woman, she asked, "Is Kanzaki here?"

The woman shook her head with a grin. "No. That's why we are." She ran to catch up with the others before Natsuki had a chance to thank her.

Natsuki went the opposite way, towards the entrance, and grabbed a dead man's sword and pistol. She hurriedly checked the pistol (empty, damn him) before sticking it in her pants. A few quick practice thrusts with the sword told her that while she was weak, her mental exercises had kept her skills sharp.

Whoever was in her way would have a sorry time.

* * *

Natsuki rammed her elbow into a navy man's temple before teetering slightly. One of the lashes in her back had opened up and her right hand felt like it was on fire.

She had finally made it outside to find most of the guards already dead—whoever was responsible for the prison assault had a skilled crew, though she did have the pleasure of killing the man responsible for her whippings.

Natsuki took a gasping breath. It was her first taste of fresh air in what seemed like forever. In front of her was the harbor, the one she could barely remember arriving in.

Oh, how she wished she had enough time and manpower to scuttle the quietly docked ships. Instead she forged on towards the pirate's ship at the far end of the island. If she couldn't stow away on it, she would have to bargain best she could for passage to the next island. Her only goal was to make it back to Windbloom and track Shizuru down from there.

The pirate ship seemed silent but Natsuki knew better. She quietly made her way up the gangplank, sword extended in front of her.

Once she was on the ship, a creaking sound was heard coming from her left side. She backed a few steps away and braced herself for an attack.

Instead, a man with a fresh-looking 'x' shaped scar on his cheek emerged from the shadows with his hands in the air. "You must be from the prison," he remarked almost casually. Natsuki resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Where else would she have come from?

But something about him seemed familiar. "Songbird?" She wondered out loud. The man raised an eyebrow and Natsuki elaborated, "You're the singer, right?"

His eyes widened. "You were the ones who led the songs!" A happy grin spread across his face. "I was wondering if you'd made it out. I'm Masashi—"

Their meeting came to a halt when Natsuki heard footsteps coming up the gangplank. She whirled around to see who it was.

Immediately a man with a slight build came in close to her—too close for her sword to make a difference. A dagger was pressed against the wrist of her sword hand. "Drop it." He ordered quietly, dangerously.

Natsuki did as she was told and the sword clanged against the deck. Satisfied, the man stepped back. When he did, Natsuki whipped her hand to the back of her pants and grabbed the pistol. Even if it did had gunpowder in it, there was a chance it wouldn't have fired due to the rain. Still, Natsuki pointed it confidently at the man, ignoring how it strained her arm.

A flash of lightning illuminated him—his long, dark hair was tied at the base of his neck save for two strands that framed either side of his face.

"Hold on!" The songbird stepped between the two of them and tilted his head towards the other man. "I'm sure we can work something out, Captain."

Natsuki's hold on the pistol was weakening but she kept it raised. "Captain?" She echoed. "Please, let me join you, at least until you next dock." From there, she was sure she'd be able to catch another ship.

The man frowned. "You're a walking skeleton and I have no way of telling if you have experience at sea. You'd be a hindrance."

"I'm the Ice Queen." She countered with as much confidence as she could muster. "I've been held for a while but I assure you, I can help."

"Impossible," he dismissed her right away. "Her execution papers were signed over a year ago."

_That long?_

The thought made Natsuki lose focus and in that instant, the captain quickly came across Masashi's side and twisted the pistol out of her hand. Natsuki wrenched her hand away, narrowly avoiding her finger breaking against the trigger guard.

Disarmed twice in as many minutes. Had she really gotten so rusty or was the man just that good?

"A liar and not a very good one at that," he remarked coolly. "Should I kill you now or just leave you behind?"

Masashi spoke up again. "Wait, she might be telling the truth. This was the prison the Ice Queen was held, was it not?"

His captain scowled but didn't let his eyes trail away from Natsuki. "True, but that doesn't mean anything now," he addressed Natsuki, "Do you have any evidence?"

It was a reasonable question but Natsuki felt cold dread wash over her. This wasn't going well. "I…don't." Natsuki admitted through clenched teeth. "They took all of my belongings." She took a breath and tried another approach. "Just let me do deck work, then. I can do anything asked of me."

"I'm sorry but I can't bring you with," the captain murmured. His eyes quickly ran up and down her body. "You've not only soiled a good pirate's name but I can see that you're injured in several places. Honestly, I'm surprised you're still standing. Food and space are only for the productive members of my ship. You would be neither."

Natsuki felt her stomach drop. "Please—" There was no way she could commandeer the other ships available; they were simply too massive for a single person to manage. If this man wouldn't let her aboard, she would be stuck here. Kanzaki's last words, _You will _rot_ in this cell_, seemed to be prophetic after all.

"Captain, I got the brat." A woman's voice called out. "He was in the very last cell but it doesn't look like much harm came to him." The captain motioned towards Masashi to watch Natsuki before turning around to greet the newcomer.

Up the gangplank came a woman with short red hair, pulling a young man behind her.

Natsuki fell to her knees and started convulsing with laughter. She curled in on herself, clutching her stomach as the sound washed over the other pirates.

Masashi knelt down next to her, looking alarmed. "Are you alright?"

Natsuki had wondered what it would be like to go mad and now she knew—apparently she would see hallucinations of her friends. Because there was no possible way Nao was here on this ship.

She heard her figment of imagination utter a low curse. "Natsuki?" She asked in a hushed voice. "Is that you?"

The captain looked between them in confusion. "You know one another?"

"This…this is the Ice Queen. She's alive." Then to Natsuki, "You're alive."

Natsuki's head swung up to look at her, an off-kilter smile on her face. "Is that what you'd call this?" She shuddered suddenly when she felt another lash open up on her back.

Her vision was starting to get dark around the edges but that didn't really matter—what good were her eyes if weren't working properly?

"Natsuki? Natsuki!" Nao's voice seemed both closer and further away. It melted into the thunder and rain until there was nothing but a dull roar in her ears.

* * *

Natsuki dreamed of rain, of blood, of her sword going into countless naval officers.

They were good dreams.

* * *

She dreamed of Shizuru taking care of her, wiping her brow with a cool cloth and feeding her soup. Her hands wandered to the sides of Natsuki's face and caressed the skin under her fingertips.

Those dreams made Natsuki wake up gasping.

* * *

The ground was rocking. Natsuki opened her eyes to be met with a single lantern swinging haphazardly on its hook, illuminating the room in random patches of soft light. In one moment, she saw a mirror, in the next a small wooden desk. The captain's cabin, then.

A door was opened, casting sun into the room and making Natsuki screw her eyes shut in annoyance.

"You're finally up!" A familiar voice remarked. Natsuki opened her eyes to see her former first mate grinning at her.

"Nao?" Natsuki asked cautiously, "Is that really you?"

A troubling edge to her smile emerging, Nao poked Natsuki in the ribs. Hard.

Natsuki stiffened and let out a low growl. "I guess that answers my question. So that just leaves a thousand others left to ask."

Nao perched on the edge of the bed and any humor that had been present started to fade. Taking a deep breath, she nodded. "Let's get started then."

* * *

She had been gone for four years, Nao had said. Nearly half a decade had gone by in that hellhole. When Nao showed her a mirror, Natsuki couldn't recognize the woman with the haunted eyes and sunken cheeks staring back at her.

Yohko, the ship's doctor, informed her that her right hand would have permanent damage and limited mobility for the rest of her life. The lashes on her back would heal but feeling might be lost and the scars would always be there.

On the plus side, Yohko was happy to point out, "You're alive, aren't you?"

Or so they kept saying.

* * *

Natsuki reluctantly gave the cabin back to the captain when she was well enough to walk on her own. Her sea legs had taken their time reappearing, which hampered the process—four years was the longest she had been without water beneath her.

The captain introduced himself as Akira and in the light of day, Natsuki saw that he was more feminine-looking than she first thought. But despite his slight figure and quiet voice, his every order was obeyed without question.

Nao must have been joking when she said Akira had sailed all the way to the prison in order to retrieve his _cabin boy_. It was absurd to think the young man with the warm violet eyes and occasional coughing fits was worth the trip, even if other crewmembers were imprisoned there as well.

Natsuki thought that until she went down to the galley late one night. After she limped down the steps, she saw the two of them in a rather intimate embrace—Akira's hands were settled on the cabin boy's sides, while the younger man had his arms wrapped around the captain's neck. Their lips met in sweet, tender kisses.

Oh.

Well.

That explained a lot.

* * *

She decided to go to bed hungry that night.

* * *

Natsuki was dueling with Nao when the redhead brought up the one thing Natsuki was hoping to avoid.

Nao parried Natsuki's attack and said, "You haven't asked me about Shizuru. Not once."

"Damn!" Natsuki barely avoided being impaled on Nao's sword. "Let's stop for a moment."

They sat down and Natsuki grimaced. "Don't bring her up again."

Nao looked bewildered. "Why? You have to be curious."

Natsuki pressed at her forehead with the base of her palm. Her eyes settled on the plank of wood beneath her boots. "Commodore Kanzaki told me everything," she said in a low voice, "Windbloom is gone and so is she. There's nothing to ask."

Nao dropped her sword and slung an arm around the other woman. "I'm sorry. I know that doesn't help anything, but I really am."

Natsuki leaned into her touch for a moment before standing up and offering her friend a sad smile. "Yeah, me too."

* * *

"There are many upsides to death, as you might imagine," Akira told her one evening. They were out on the main deck, looking into the vast darkness of the ocean. "Anonymity being the most important."

Natsuki wondered where this conversation was going. She had been on the ship for a few weeks now and whenever she tried to offer her help to the crew, Yohko or Akira appeared to give her a stern look and tell her not to strain herself. Natsuki remembered her first talk with Akira and how he didn't want 'dead weight' on his ship. "Is this your way of telling me to get off at the next port?"

Akira stiffened. "No. It's entirely the opposite." He turned to face her fully. "I wanted to let you know that you can stay on board for as long as you need. Nao told me you'd like to go to Windbloom at some point. While I don't have plans to dock there for a few more months, you are welcome to stay or leave whenever you'd like."

"That's a very gracious offer," Natsuki started. Her grip tightened against the railing. "But I don't think I can accept. I'm…no longer the Ice Queen. Not really."

It hurt her pride to admit that. Her time in prison had changed her more than she ever could have thought. Physically, she might never be in the condition she was before. And mentally something was just…_different_. She would often wake up shivering from dreams she couldn't remember, a sheen of cold sweat covering her body. The sound of the sails whipping around on a gusty day had her pressing her back against the nearest wall, looking around in panic.

No, she wasn't the same Ice Queen who could disarm a hundred men and pillage a town with ease. She was something lesser now, something weaker.

Akira touched her shoulder and she flinched slightly, momentarily forgetting where she was. "You're right," he said softly, a painful amount of understanding clear in his eyes. "You're not the Ice Queen. She's dead, remember? You're a sailor who is traveling with me for as long as she'd like. My crew is fiercely loyal—the ones who know of your old persona will never say a word. So, what do you say?"

* * *

Masashi Takeda, or Songbird as Natsuki (and subsequently most of the crew) called him, enjoyed telling stories almost as much as he enjoyed singing.

Natsuki got the feeling he was trying to impress her with his tales of epic fights on the high seas and his own personal victories (which were becoming more conflated with each story). She didn't mind too much though—they were good stories, after all. Tonight's was a special one in celebration of Natsuki's third month on board.

Takeda rubbed his hands together in excitement as sailors gathered around him. "This is the story of the Red Maiden," he stated dramatically, "whose pure soul was corrupted by the First Navy."

Boos and hisses erupted until he spoke again. "She was once a beautiful young woman, happy and in love with a sailor. They were to be married after he came back from his long voyage. She waited faithfully for his return, first for one month, then another. Eventually a year passed and he still had yet to return. She grew worried and for good reason…the news passed that he had been killed by the First Navy." The boos were louder this time and mixed with strings of curse words.

"Her heart was broken beyond repair—he was the only love of her life and now he was gone. The death changed her on the inside. No longer would she feel anything except a burning hatred for the ones responsible for his demise. She learned how to fight and gathered a crew. The crew was composed entirely of those who had lost people to the navy. She labeled herself a pirate and took to the seas, only she doesn't attack merchant ships or towns. No…her only targets are those who fly the First Navy flags. She's killed enough men to be labeled the Red Maiden by those who fear her."

"Her reputation has grown over the last few years. She's become an ally to pirates and the worst enemy to the navy. She's out here now, on this very sea. If you come across a ship with crimson flags, know you are in the presence of the Maiden. And if you're in the navy, be prepared for a slow and bloody death." Takeda finished gravely. He snapped out of his storyteller persona to give Natsuki a wink.

Natsuki raised an eyebrow at him as the others started to clap. She gave Nao a nudge. "Is all that true?"

Nao shrugged as if she had heard the story a thousand times. "There is a pirate who only attacks the First Navy ships and she _is_ called the Red Maiden. The rest is probably just embellishment."

Natsuki hummed her agreement and listened to the rest of Takeda's stories with rapt attention. But when she went to sleep that night, she couldn't help but have her thoughts drift back to the Red Maiden.

It was a nice break from thinking about Shizuru.

* * *

"What do you plan on doing when we get there?" Nao asked her one evening during a break from their practice.

Natsuki didn't know the answer herself. Windbloom was the only place she could call home before she had her own ship and now both were gone. "I just want to look around, I suppose. See if anyone has information about what happened to her."

Nao didn't need any clarification as to who 'her' referred to. She shook her head. "You wouldn't be the first to ask. The Homura's son was also taken. They turned the island upside down with their interrogations," she hesitated for a moment. "Shizuru and Nagi had just gotten married a week prior."

"Is that so?" Natsuki murmured. She was the one who had told Shizuru to get married, so it shouldn't have bothered her. No, she wasn't bothered in the slightest.

Nao sighed. "Don't do this to yourself. You should know that she extended the engagement for as long as she could."

Natsuki stood up and drew her sword, motioning for Nao to do the same. "That doesn't matter anymore, but thanks for letting me know. Now…best four out of five?"

* * *

The way to Windbloom was filled with choppy water and slate-gray clouds. An unmarked ship came alongside theirs for a short period of time before splitting off again. Its passing made Akira uneasy and he ordered his men to change to white flags for the rest of the journey.

By then it was already too late.

The ship came near them once more when Windbloom's harbor was just in sight, flying the pale purple and bright white of the First Navy. But instead of passing them again, it opened fire.

* * *

The naval ship had made quick work of disabling the rudder of Akira's ship and its crew was in the midst of boarding, closing the gap between the two vessels with gangplanks and grappling hooks.

The normally stoic Akira was flushed from fighting and his eyes glinted dangerously. The enemy had disregarded every law of the sea and now his ship was in danger of being seized or destroyed. Natsuki glanced at him and her heart settled in her chest. She wouldn't let that happen to him.

Natsuki drew her sword and entered the mass of fighting, her sword quickly going into a man Takeda was up against. She moved on, parrying an attack and dipping underneath a man's blade. She pulled out her dagger with her right hand and slit his throat. Kicking him away, she continued on.

She soon lost track of time and moments were counted in the number of those she had wounded or killed. The navy men were surprisingly skillful and seemed to be evenly match for most of Akira's crew.

She eventually found Nao and the two fought shoulder-to-shoulder. "Just like old times, eh?" Nao shouted over the sound of cannons and guns. The redhead used the palm of her free hand to redirect a man's sword hand and grabbed his arm, snapping the bone over her knee and throwing him aside.

Natsuki grunted beside her. "Something like that," she replied, though on the inside she was starting to get worried. The navy seemed to have more people at their disposal and they kept coming on in droves. They weren't interested in Akira's cargo or ship, only in how much blood they could spill. Whatever this was, it wasn't normal navy procedure.

Suddenly, one of the pirates yelled something in excitement but Natsuki couldn't hear what was being said. Soon, the others started cheering even as they fought.

"Let them board, let them board!" Someone close to her shouted. Natsuki turned around and almost dropped her sword in surprise. On the other side of the deck, grappling hooks were being sunk into the wood. The ship responsible was flying crimson flags.

By her side, Nao whooped in amazement. "It's the Red Maiden!"

But Natsuki didn't have time to rejoice. In her line of vision entered the one man she had dreamed of killing for years. He casually sank a boarding axe into a pirate's chest and pulled it out to continue cutting the lines the Maiden was setting into Akira's ship.

_Kanzaki_. Her blood felt hot in her veins and she started to move towards him as though in a trance. The fighting around her became muffled and the only thing she could see was him.

As if sensing her, he shifted away the moment before her sword would have been buried in his back. The momentum sent Natsuki into the railing but she righted quickly and spun to face him.

His eyes widened for a moment before a vicious smile appeared. "I thought you might be on this ship, Ice Queen," he called out, his smug tone apparent even over the chaos around them. He switched the axe into his other hand and pulled out his sword. "And how predictable. Little birds always fly back to their nests, don't they?"

They circled one another, sizing up the other's weaknesses and strengths. Natsuki made the first move and Kanzaki raised the axe in response. But the axe was heavy and it was clear he wasn't familiar with using it in his non-dominant hand. Natsuki dodged the axe and sank her dagger into the center of the hand holding it, dragging the blade through flesh and muscle until it reached the space between his fingers.

Kanzaki yelled in pain and dropped the axe, blood spraying out of his wound and onto the ground.

Natsuki grinned at his reaction. "Hand for a hand," she said softly. She waited for him to wrap the bloody mess in a strip of his shirt. After all, she didn't want this to be over quickly.

His attention focused back on her, his handsome face paler than normal. His lips settled into a silent snarl and he lunged at her. Pure adrenaline drove him and Natsuki could barely avoid his sword. Still, the grin stayed on her face, infuriating him even more.

His sword carved its way across her arm and side. In return, she managed to slice his cheekbone and into the back of his knee. A cannon blast rocked the ship and both she and Kanzaki lost their balance for a moment.

Kanzaki recovered first and his sword twisted against Natsuki's until it slipped from her hand. His sword plunged into the muscle of her left shoulder and tore its way through to the other side.

Natsuki's breathing stopped for a moment and her body froze as blood trickled out of the wound. A smile returned to Kanzaki's face and he tried to pull the blade out of her—only to find her hands on top of his, pushing the metal further into her body with an agonized scream.

Natsuki stopped when she was just inches away from him. Her wrecked, broken, ruined hand still grasped her dagger and in a jerky, upward motion, she sliced into the middle of his stomach until the steel met his sternum.

His grip on his sword slackened and he looked down in astonishment. He dropped to his knees and Natsuki followed him down. Her shaky hand dropped the dagger and the ship shook again, throwing her against him.

One of her hands landed somewhere sticky and warm. Natsuki lifted her head and saw that the hand was buried deep in his chest.

"I can feel your heart, Kanzaki," she whispered wonderingly. The organ beat lamely in response, the moments between each palpitation stretching out longer and longer. Red spittle leaked from between his lips and he convulsed once before becoming still.

Natsuki pulled her hand out of him, a sickly sucking sound accompanying the motion. The hand, from the tip of her fingers all the way to her wrist, was covered in blood and gore. Natsuki felt bile rise in the back of her throat and she vomited next to his body.

Even after her stomach was emptied, she felt ill. The fighting around her was waning thanks to the Red Maiden's crew. Natsuki stared down at the blade in her body, dreading what she was about to do.

"I fucking hate the navy," she muttered as she grasped the hilt. Gulping in as much air as she could, she gritted her teeth and _pulled_. The sword came out of her almost as smoothly as it went in and more blood oozed out of the wound. "Nice sword, though," she gave a pained laughed and stoppered the wound with a miraculously clean handkerchief she found in Kanzaki's jacket.

The thrill of the fight was still singing in her veins and had numbed her pain to a bearable degree. She put two dirtied, bloodied fingers in her mouth and let out a shrill whistle. "First Navy!" She exclaimed loudly, lifting Kanzaki's sword above her head. "Your commodore is dead! Surrender now or prepare to be killed."

Around her, the navy men slowly dropped their weapons and raised their empty hands. Cheers went up and from the other side of the ship, Akira came over to her. It looked like he had barely taken any injuries and he didn't even appear to be out of breath. "Well done, Natsuki," he said quietly, pride apparent in his voice. "But we should meet our saviors."

Natsuki followed him to the bow of the ship. Pirates all around her raised their fists to her, happy words and praises spouting from their mouths. For the first time in years, Natsuki felt like the Ice Queen again.

Nao found her and gave her a pat on her injured shoulder, eliciting a hiss from Natsuki. "Ahh, sorry," Nao said, sounding thoroughly unapologetic. She bounced up and down in excitement next to her. "We're actually going to meet the Maiden. This is unbelievable."

"I thought you didn't care for her," Natsuki remarked, climbing the steps to the upper deck.

Nao gave her an insulted look. "Are you kidding? She just saved our asses. I'm already half in love with her and I don't even know what she looks like."

"Looks like we'll know soon enough," Natsuki said in anticipation.

The three of them came to a stop in front of a woman in a bright red jacket with black trimming. Her back was turned to them and she was giving a blonde haired woman instructions. The blonde gave a quick salute and rushed past them, an air of importance radiating from her.

The woman in red turned around slowly and Natsuki found herself staring at her knee-high boots. She was wearing one of the nicest pairs she had ever seen, all clean, black leather despite the fighting. Tucked into them was a pair of dark brown pants that clung to her long legs. Natsuki's eyes traveled further up and her gaze caught on the woman's white blouse, which marred with specks of red. The shirt was tight along the bottom and looser along the shoulders, teasing the tops of her breasts. Her warm chestnut hair hung loose past her shoulders.

Natsuki, her heart beating painfully fast, finally looked upon the Maiden's face. Full, pink lips. A straight nose and soft, smooth skin. Piercing red eyes that were looking at her in absolute shock.

"Oh my god," Nao breathed, "this is impossible—"

Natsuki's legs gave out and her palms hit the deck. Distantly, she could feel her shoulder flare in agitation.

The beautiful voice that had haunted her for almost five years now rang clear as a bell. "Natsuki? Is that really you?"

* * *

**A/N: **Yep, I'm evil. But the next chapter (and final part, I swear) is all ShizNat. Be sure to check out the song used within the chapter, the source of it might amuse you.


End file.
